Home Buying Cost Calculator (2026/27)Home Buying Cost Calculator
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Calculator checked against GOV.UK, Revenue Scotland and Welsh Revenue Authority rules on (how we check).
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Band-by-band tax breakdown ▼
| Band | Taxable slice | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | £125,000 | 0.0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | £125,000 | 2.0% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | £150,000 | 5.0% | £7,500 |
| Additional property surcharge | £400,000 | 5.0% | £20,000 |
| Total | £800,000 | — | £30,000 |
Estimates only. Confirm with your conveyancer and official calculators. Sources.
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Cash you need — and when it's due
Deposit + costsThe all-in figure above is your tax and buying fees. But the real cash you need from savings also includes your deposit — and it's not all due on the same day. Set your deposit below to see the true total and the payment timeline.
Assumes a 10% exchange deposit (or your full deposit if smaller). Your lender, not this tool, sets the minimum deposit it will accept. Excludes mortgage interest, moving and ongoing costs. Estimates only — confirm exact figures with your conveyancer.
Second-home costs on £400,000
Models additional-property treatment and full all-in costs including editable fee assumptions.
Share URL: /results?price=400000...
At a glance
- Property tax total: £30,000
- Fees total: £2,699
- All-in total: £32,699
- Effective tax rate: 7.50%
- Marginal tax rate: 5.0%
- Most tax comes from Additional property surcharge at 5.0% (£20,000).
Assumptions used
- Tax year: 2026/27
- Nation basis: England / Northern Ireland
- Buyer scenario: Additional Property Buyer
- Legal fees: £1,200
- Survey: £500
- Mortgage fee: £999
These are typical estimates. Your actual costs may differ.
Guides for the costs at this price
What changes at this threshold?
Compare nearby price brackets with the same assumptions to see how tax and all-in totals move.
How £30,000 on a £400,000 second home is worked out
The higher rates put 5% on top of every band, even the first one, so a £400,000 second home or buy-to-let pays £30,000: 7.50% of the price, with a £20,000 surcharge.
Of the £30,000, £20,000 is surcharge and £10,000 is what a home mover would pay.
| Band | Higher rate | Part of £400,000 | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 5% | £125,000 | £6,250 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 7% | £125,000 | £8,750 |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 10% | £150,000 | £15,000 |
England and Northern Ireland, 2026/27 higher rates (standard rate plus the surcharge).
Cash needed for a £400,000 second home
A second home at £400,000 needs, in addition to the deposit, roughly £32,040 to £34,190: the £30,000 Stamp Duty, conveyancing (about £1,340 on average 2026 freehold quotes at this price), a survey (£700 to £800) and up to £2,050 of mortgage fees.
With a 25% deposit (£100,000) that is about £132,040 in cash. Lenders set their own deposit rules for second homes and buy-to-let.
Registering a second home at £400,000 with HM Land Registry costs £150 through the portal or £330 by post (the £200,001 to £500,000 fee band).
When the £20,000 surcharge can be refunded
If the £400,000 home replaces your main home and you have not sold the old one yet, you pay the £30,000 now. Sell the old main home within 3 years and you can reclaim the £20,000: apply within 12 months of the sale, or of the return's filing date if that is later.
A buy-to-let or holiday home bought while you keep your own home pays the £30,000 with no refund.
A £400,000 second home in Scotland and Wales
In Scotland the Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8% of the whole price, so a second home at £400,000 costs £45,350 in LBTT.
Wales uses its own higher-rates table: £29,950 LTT at £400,000. In England and Northern Ireland the same purchase costs £30,000.
Source: Revenue Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax · Welsh Government: Land Transaction Tax rates and bands
Second-home prices either side of £400,000
The surcharge grows with the price: each £10,000 adds £500 of it, on top of the standard rate on that slice.
| Price | Stamp Duty | Of which surcharge | Share of price |
|---|---|---|---|
| £375,000 | £27,500 | £18,750 | 7.33% |
| £390,000 | £29,000 | £19,500 | 7.44% |
| £400,000 (this page) | £30,000 | £20,000 | 7.50% |
| £410,000 | £31,000 | £20,500 | 7.56% |
| £425,000 | £32,500 | £21,250 | 7.65% |
England and Northern Ireland, 2026/27.
What £400,000 buys around the UK
£400,000 is close to the price of the average semi-detached house in Basingstoke and Deane and the average detached house in North Norfolk, Redditch and Blaby (HM Land Registry, August 2026).
In England a second-home buyer pays £30,000 stamp duty at this price; in Scotland the closest match is the average detached house in West Lothian (£404,805), where a second-home buyer pays £45,350 LBTT on £400,000; in Wales the closest match is the average detached house in Newport (£391,756), where a second-home buyer pays £29,950 LTT on £400,000.
| Council area | Nation | Average | Tax on £400,000 for a second-home buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basingstoke and Deane | England | £399,977 (semi-detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
| North Norfolk | England | £399,791 (detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
| Redditch | England | £399,577 (detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
| Blaby | England | £400,551 (detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
| Cheltenham | England | £400,869 (semi-detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
| North Northamptonshire | England | £401,061 (detached house) | £30,000 stamp duty |
HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, August 2026 (provisional). The tax column is this page's price under each area's own nation's rules, 2026/27.
Source: HM Land Registry: UK House Price Index data downloads, August 2026
Conveyancing at £400,000
Average 2026 conveyancing quotes in the £300,001 to £400,000 band were £1,340 for a freehold purchase and £1,490 for a leasehold (Compare My Move), and the Land Registry fee at this price is £150 online. See conveyancing fees on a £400,000 home for every price band, each region and what a quote should include.
FAQ
How much stamp duty is there on a £400,000 second home?
£30,000 in England and Northern Ireland in 2026/27: £10,000 at standard rates plus a £20,000 surcharge.
Can I get the £20,000 surcharge back?
Only if the home replaces your main home and you sell the previous main home within 3 years. A buy-to-let or holiday home kept alongside your own home gets no refund.
How much cash do I need for a £400,000 buy-to-let?
The deposit your lender asks for, plus about £32,040 to £34,190 of tax and fees.